Tuesday March 3rd, 2015 16:19

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Mark Thomas – Cuckooed | Artsdepot | 7 Mar
As discussed in this edition of the ThisWeek Podcast, Mark Thomas’ ‘Cuckooed’ tells the story of how a fellow activist and close friend turned out to be a spy working for arms manufacturer BAE Systems. What does it feel like to find out something like that, what’s the aftermath, and can you forgive such a thing? All will be revealed. Details and tickets here.

FESTIVALS: London Electronic Arts Festival | Tobacco Dock | 6-7 Mar
LEAF is a two day celebration of electronic music, art and technology set up by Bestival founder Rob Da Bank. Day one on Friday will feature talks, demonstrations and panels as well as music, while today’s second day will all be about the music. Ten hours of some of the finest artists working today, including Modeselektor, Sasha, Anja Schneider, and Enzo Tedeschi. Details and tickets here.

THEATRE: Sing For Your Life | The Vaults | 4-8 Mar (pictured)
Artist Charlie Tuesday Gates brings an array of deceased animals back from the dead through the combined arts of taxidermy and puppetry. “It’s a musical of misfortune, a bit like ‘X Factor’ meets ‘Pet Rescue’… apart from that the entire cast are dead”, she told TWL in this interview. Details and tickets here.

Tuesday March 3rd, 2015 14:16

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: 90s TV Night | Camden Comedy Club | 6 Mar
I was watching an old episode of ‘Fun House’ on Challenge the other week in which, when asked to name three types of nut, all one of the teams managed to come up with was acorn. So, clearly 90s TV is ripe with comic potential. And that potential will be explored full by a line-up of acts, including Mark Stephenson, Sad Faces and Brydie Lee-Kennedy, at this themed comedy night. Details and tickets here.

EVENTS: Sleuthing With Sherlock | Museum Of London | 6 Mar
There’s been a murder. Two, in fact. And someone is going to have to solve them. As part of the Museum Of London’s Sherlock Holmes-themed series of events, attendees of this interactive workshop will compare Victorian and modern methods of solving crimes. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Coffin Dodgers Disco | The Phoenix, Cavendish Square | 6 Mar
Young people, eh? They’re bloody everywhere. Not here though. It’s only old people here, dancing away to tunes spun by DJs Don and Reg. Old people, according to the door policy of the Coffin Dodgers Disco, count as anyone over the age of 28. I realise you may find it quite upsetting to learn that you’re actually old. Why not buy a ticket to cheer yourself up? Details and tickets here.

Friday February 27th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Rob Auton – The Face Show | Soho Theatre | 5-7 Mar (pictured)
Following on from ‘The Yellow Show’ and ‘The Sky Show‘, Rob Auton’s ‘The Face Show’ promises to appeal to “anybody who has a face or has seen somebody with a face”. If that includes you, then head on down. Details and tickets here.

FESTIVAL: Sprint 2015 | Camden People’s Theatre | 5-29 Mar
Not far off its 20th year, though still a sprightly teenager at present, London’s biggest showcase festival for new and unusual theatre returns. This year’s programme includes plays covering everything from the death of Alexander Litvinenko to explorations of online identity and government snooping. Details and tickets here.

FESTIVAL: Women Of The World | Southbank Centre | 1-8 Mar
Now in its fifth year, the Southbank Centre’s Women Of The World festival returns with another incredible programme of events celebrating women. Covering music, art, theatre, interviews, debates, talks and more, there’s a huge amount to discover, learn and enjoy. Details and tickets here.

Tuesday February 24th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Ruby Wax – Sane New World | St James Theatre | 2-14 Mar (pictured)
Ruby Wax comes to her new show armed with plans for how to survive the 21st century, using her considerable experience as a comedian and her recent Masters Degree in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: The War On Drugs | Brixton Academy | 2 Mar
Last year The War On Drugs released their third and most successful album to date, ‘Lost In The Dream’, scoring a top 20 placing in the UK charts. Tonight they bring that album (and parts of the other two, I’d imagine) to the Brixton Academy. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Tinashe | Heaven | 2 Mar
If you only have the capacity to remember the name of one rising R&B star, then Tinashe wouldn’t be a bad one to pick. Following a series of acclaimed mixtape releases she released her debut album ‘Aquarius’ last year, also to pretty uniformly positive reviews. Details and tickets here.

Monday February 23rd, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: BattleActs! | The Vaults | 18 Feb – 1 Mar
Given a four star review at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe by ThreeWeeks, ‘BattleActs!’ pits two teams, each improvising wildly against each other. But who wins? Well, the audience, of course. And whichever team they think was best. And comedy. Find out more in this TWL interview. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Henning Wehn – Eins, Zwei, DIY | Leicester Square Theatre | 26 Feb – 8 Mar (pictured)
Henning Wehn has been living in the UK for more than ten years now, but he still can’t work out some of our national quirks. Expect discussion of property ownership, currency, class and more. There may be a test, but Wehn will give you all of the answers in advance. Details and tickets here.

Sunday February 22nd, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Rich Hall – 3:10 To Humour | Battersea Arts Centre | 28 Feb
A man who surely needs no introduction, Rich Hall brings ‘3:10 To Humour’ to the Battersea Arts Centre as part of his ongoing UK tour of the show, which will be keeping him busy up to June. Any opportunity to see this deadpan Montanian at work is well worth taking. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Todd Terje | Ministry Of Sound | 28 Feb (pictured)
Having received high acclaim for last year’s ‘It’s Album Time’ album, Norwegian producer Todd Terje will be performing live at Ministry Of Sound as the guest of Rinse FM. As well as Terje, there will a stellar bill of DJs keeping things going through the night. Details and tickets here.

THEATRE: J Fergus Evans – Rove | Battersea Arts Centre | 24-28 Feb
Through a mix of poetry and folk music, ‘Rove’ sees J Fergus Evans deliver family anecdotes and folk tales. With the accompaniment of Rhiannon Armstrong, he unravels the stories and wonders where they will go next. Details and tickets here.

Saturday February 21st, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Alan Davies – Little Victories | Hackney Empire | 27 Feb
Alan Davies comes to the Hackney Empire as part of an extended run of dates for his acclaimed 2014 show, ‘Little Victories’. His second show since returning from an extended break from stand-up, during which he became a household name, he shows he’s lost none of the charm that got him there in the first place. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Rosie Wilby – 90s Woman | Spread Eagle, Croydon | 27 Feb
As a student in the 90s, Rosie Wilby was a writer for feminist newspaper Matrix. Upon discovering copies in her parents’ attic in 2013, she attempted to track down as many of her fellow writers as possible to see how closely they’d stuck to the politics of their youth. She tells what happened next in amongst stories of her own bad perms and fruitless crushes at university in this highly rated show. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Sarah Kendall – Touchdown | Soho Theatre | 24-28 Feb (pictured)
Sarah Kendall’s nostalgic coming of age tale hangs on her hard-won place on the Newcastle & District Under-Fourteens Touch Rugby team in 1992. This, she thought, would kickstart improvements in her life. But did it? Well, that’s what she’ll tell you. Details and tickets here.

Friday February 20th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Always Be Comedy with Katherine Ryan | Price Of Wales, Brixton | 26 Feb
Always Be Comedy comes to Brixton with a brilliant line-up of comedians in tow. Headlining this night at the Price Of Wales will be the fantastic Katherine Ryan, with sets from Joe Lycett and Julian Deane, and everything kept moving by James Gill on compere duties. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Laugh Out London with Tony Law | The People’s Park Tavern | 26 Feb
If you’re out east, then look no further than this Tony Law-headlined Laugh Out London night down by Victoria Park. Also on the bill are James Acaster, Sofie Hagen and Alex Edelman. Details and tickets here.

DANCE: Artificial Things | Artsdepot | 26 Feb
Presented by the Stopgap Dance Company, ‘Artificial Things’ sees a group of friends try to escape each other’s company through rock n roll, but instead finds their issues with each other brought raucously to the surface. There will be a Q&A following the performance. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Comedians’ Cinema Club presents Brokeback Mountain | Aces & Eights Bar | 25 Feb
Each month, the Comedians’ Cinema Club invites a group of comedians to recreate a film that they may or may not properly remember the plot of. Tonight, Milo McCabe, Abigoliah Schamaun, Tom Horton, Dan Schreiber Lloyd Griffiths and Comedians’ Cinema Club regulars Eric Lampaert, Matthew Highton and Will Seward will put ‘Brokeback Mountain’ onto the Aces & Eights stage. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Stand Up For Shelter | Hammersmith Apollo | 25 Feb
Eddie Izzard headlines a benefit in aid of Shelter, with support from Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, Sara Pascoe and Rob Beckett. Hosting the whole shebang will be Absolute Radio’s Christian O’Connell. An impressive line-up indeed and, of course, all for a good cause. Details and tickets here.

Wednesday February 18th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Phil Wang – Mellow Yellow | Soho Theatre | 23-24 Feb
A man with “a nerdy charm and ready wit”, said ThreeWeeks when reviewing this show at last year’s Edinburgh Festival, Phil Wang plays the second of two nights at the Soho Theatre tonight. In ‘Mellow Yellow’, he takes a laid-back look at love, race and Batman, amongst other things. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra | Cadogan Hall | 24 Feb
On their first trip to the UK for ten year, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra head to Cadogan Hall with a performance that will include the European premiere of Fung Lam’s ‘Quintessence’. After that, they’ll run through Beethoven’s ‘Violin Concerto’ and Prokofiev’s ‘Symphony No 5′. Details and tickets here.

WORDS & EVENTS: Miranda July | Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall | 24 Feb (pictured)
Acclaimed filmmaker, artist and author Miranda July comes to the Southbank Centre for an event marking the release of her debut novel, ‘The First Bad Man’. Always an intriguing voice in whatever she does, this will be well worth attending. Details and tickets here.

Tuesday February 17th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

MUSIC: Busdriver | Birthdays | 23 Feb (pictured)
Following the release of his latest excellent album ‘Perfect Hair’ last year, LA rapper Busdriver makes it to London for a live show at Birthdays in Dalston. Expect smart lyrics, self-deprecating humour and and a style like no one else. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: No Such Thing As A Fish Podcast | Soho Theatre | 23 Feb
Named the best new podcast of 2014 by iTunes, The QI Elves’ No Such Thing As A Fish Podcast begins a new weekly run of recordings at the Soho Theatre. Read this ThreeWeeks interview with one of the elves, Dan Schreiber, to find out more. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Liam Williams | Soho Theatre | 23-28 Feb
It would technically be possible to see both this and the QI Elves’ podcast, thanks to the intricacies of the passing of time. And that would be a very good night out. The very funny Liam Williams hits Soho with a show about money, told in his own downbeat style. Details and tickets here.

Sunday February 15th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

FESTIVALS/KIDS: Mini Vault | Vault | 21-22 Feb & 7 Mar
The Vaults host a weekend of amazing shows for under elevens, as part of the wider Vault Festival, which includes a whole load of free events and activities, amongst the paid performances. The previous TWL-tipped Comedy Club 4 Kids will be in attendance, and there’ll be a play about zombies, amongst other things. Details and tickets here.

EXHIBITION: This Comedian | Embassy Tea Gallery | 20 Feb – 2 Mar
Idil Sukan’s debut exhibition collects ten years’ worth of design and photography work in the comedy industry. If you have even the slightest interest in British comedy, you’ll have noticed Sukan’s eye-catching photographs numerous time in recent years. Now’s your chance to spot the ones you know and more you don’t. Details and tickets here.

THEATRE: Joy | Etcetera Theatre | 17-22 Feb
“Three men. Three different walks of life. One problem. Joy… or lack thereof”, is the premise of this show from Velvet Trumpet. Each character has a different reason to need to find a bit of happiness, and a darkly funny story to tell. Details and tickets here.

Friday February 13th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Mark Watson – Flaws | Union Chapel | 19 Feb (pictured)
A favourite of TWL sister site ThreeWeeks (and TWL, obviously), Mark Watson takes to the stage at the wonderful Union Chapel tonight with his latest show, ‘Flaws’. His darkest and most personal show to date, it sees Watson go head-to-head with life and try to emerge triumphant. Details and tickets here.

EVENTS: Craft Beer Rising | Old Truman Brewery | 19-22 Feb
Beer, music and food are all on offer at this event. Mainly beer though, obviously. Part of London Beer Week, 70 breweries big and small will be providing samples of their own craft ales. On the music side, this year’s headliner is Jazzie B. Details and tickets here.

Thursday February 12th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: What Has The News Ever Done For Me? | Aces And Eights Bar | 18 Feb (pictured)
Comedian Grainne Maguire’s monthly topic panel show returns, with another three stand-ups called upon to convince the audience why their chosen news story is the one everyone should care about. Previous nights have asked such burning questions as, ‘Which is the more important of cuts to the NHS and the B*Witched reunion?’ Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Elliphant | XOYO | 18 Feb
Swedish genre-spanning singer, rapper and now iPad advert star Elliphant heads to London for a headline show at XOYO to give a taste of her debut album. An all too rare opportunity to see this up-and-coming star. Details and tickets here.

VISUAL ART/EVENTS: Regrets | Barts Pathology Museum | 18 Feb
This exhibition of Robin Lee’s art made with real life hearts is on show at Barts Pathology Museum throughout February. However, this ticketed evening event will give attendees the chance to view the work alongside the artist. There will also be heart-themed food and drink (Marinated ox heart, Bloody Mary served in syringes etc) created by chef Andy Evans, plus live music. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Lydia Ainsworth | Sebright Arms | 17 Feb (pictured)
Lydia Ainsworth made one of last year’s finest albums, ‘Right From Real’. Our sister site Complete Music Update said that her songs “might fit easily into a Lynchian-level eerie silver-screen dream (or sci-fi getaway) sequence”. And you can experience that live with her show at the Sebright Arms in Hackney tonight. Details and tickets here.

THEATRE: Hamlet | Cockpit Theatre | 16 Feb – 15 Mar
Following a sell out season at Oxford Castle, the English Repertory Theatre’s stripped-back staging of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ comes to London’s Cockpit Theatre. The performance stars Rachel Waring as the eponymous prince, who at 26 is apparently the youngest woman to ever take on the role professionally. Details and tickets here.

Tuesday February 10th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Sara Pascoe Vs History | Soho Theatre | 16-23 Feb (pictured)
Sara Pascoe brings her Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated show to the Soho Theatre for six nights. In it she explains how “wars, witches, Kim Jong-il and your ex” are all interlinked, through examinations of existential theory and her own romantic history. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: BRITs Week | various venues | 16-20 Feb
The 2015 BRIT Awards ceremony isn’t due to take place until 25 Feb, which you may have noticed is next week. But that doesn’t mean that this week isn’t BRITs Week, because it is. Specifically, it is a week in which a series of BRITs-related gigs will take place. Tonight, George Ezra hits Electric Brixton, on Tuesday (17 Feb) Royal Blood will tear up Koko in Camden, and on Friday night (20 Feb) The Charlatans will bowl over the audience at the Brooklyn Bowl under the O2 dome. Details and tickets here.

THEATRE: Inigo | White Bear Theatre | 3-28 Feb
Jonathan Moore’s ‘Inigo’ tells the story of how Ignatius of Loyola went from rough, tough street-fightin’ man to found the radical Society Of Jesus, more commonly known at The Jesuits. The play promises “an allegorical story of anyone who wants change and meets with savage opposition from any establishment”. Details and tickets here.

Sunday February 8th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: David O’Doherty Has Checked Everything | Hackney Empire | 14 Feb
David Doherty has checked everything, if the title of this show is to be believed. I guess it depends on your definition of ‘everything’. And his. I mean, I suppose it depends on the context. He couldn’t literally check everything, could he? That would take ages. And probably couldn’t be explained in an hour. Details and tickets here.

COMEDY: Luisa Omielan’s Single Ladies Valentine’s Ball | Islington Assembly Hall | 14 Feb (pictured)
It’s Valentine’s Day, aka the least romantic day of the year, so why not liven it up a bit with this, the second annual Single Ladies Valentine’s Ball, organised by stand-up comedian Luisa Omielan. She will perform her solo show, ‘Am I Right Ladies?!’, after which there will be much partying with a DJ set from Olly Stock. “Willies are welcome, no cocks”. Details and tickets here.

FESTIVAL/KIDS: Imagine Children’s Festival | Southbank Centre | 9-22 Feb
Covering all your half-term needs, the Imagine Children’s Festival encompasses a wide range of events covering books, music and more. Listen to talks form various authors, learn to complete a Rubik’s cube in record time, check out orchestras and learn to play their instruments yourself, plus much more. Details and tickets here.

Saturday February 7th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Dane Baptiste – Citizen Dane | Soho Theatre | 13-14 Feb (pictured)
Nominated for Best Newcomer at last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Dane Baptiste brings his debut hour-long show back to the Soho Theatre for two more nights following an acclaimed January run. In it he aims to answer the question, ‘Is there a place for Citizen Dane?’ Details and tickets here.

DANCE: Wayne McGregor – Atomos | Sadler’s Wells | 13-14 Feb
Contemporary choreographer Wayne McGregor’s ‘Atomos’ returns to Sadler’s Wells, where it had its world premiere in 2013, for two performances. Amongst various collaborators on the show, gloomy neo-classical duo A Winged Victory For The Sullen provide a live score. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: White Heat Club | The Lexington | 13 Feb
Its former home Madame JoJo’s in Soho having been closed down last November, the popular White Heat club night has shifted over to The Lexington and from Tuesday to Friday nights. If you’re looking for a mix of cool music from pop to house this Friday the thirteenth, then you’re in luck. Free early entry to those who register via Facebook, £5 to everyone else. Details here.

Friday February 6th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: Kim Noble – You’re Not Alone | Soho Theatre | until 7 Mar (pictured)
Aside from getting that song by one hit wonder Olive in my head, Kim Noble achieves many other things with this show. Blending theatre, film and comedy he takes the audience through a journey to escape the loneliness of modern life. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Drenge | Tufnell Park Dome | 12 Feb
One of a number of shows taking place as a prelude to this years NME Awards, noisy twosome Drenge take to the Tufnell Park Dome. Support comes from The Bohicas and Menace Beach, which covers a good proportion of your quota for saying you’ve seen buzzy bands live in one go. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Wagner’s The Mastersingers Of Nuremberg | London Coliseum | until 10 Mar
Noted wag Richard Wagner’s operatic comedy ‘The Mastersingers Of Nuremberg’ (or ‘Meistersinger Von Nürnberg’, to give it its original title – though this performance in all in English). The ENO’s new production brings Richard Jones’ acclaimed staging come to the London Coliseum for the first time. Details and tickets here.

Thursday February 5th, 2015 00:01

And today’s ThisWeek-tipped, LDN-based events are…

COMEDY: James Veitch – The Fundamental Interconnectedness Of Everyone With An Internet Connection | Museum Of Comedy | until 14 Feb
The majority of email sent is spam, an irritation ignored by most and fallen for by some. In this show, James Veitch shows what happens when you start replying to the scammers and attempt to play them at their own game. Details and tickets here.

MUSIC: Gruff Rhys – America Interior | Koko | 11 Feb (pictured)
Former Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys’ 2014 ‘American Interior’ encompassed an album, film, book and app. Now the live version of the project arrives in London for a performance at Koko in Camden. Details and tickets here.

THEATRE: How I Learned To Drive | Southwark Playhouse | 11 Feb – 14 Mar
Set in Maryland, USA in 1969, Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize winning ‘How I Learned To Drive’ tells the story of seventeen year old Lil Bit her Uncle Peck through a series of driving lessons, in this new staging by Fools & Kings and DEM Productions. Details and tickets here.